[DJ's left nut]

Back at my desk - here's why that grading scale is perfect: it gives you a fantastic grounds for comparison.

For instance, let's use Kareem Hunt. I would consider Hunt a 7.0(B). Now I look at someone like Joe Williams and say that he's a 7.5(D). I think Williams has the ability to be a better player than Hunt but that extra .5 isn't enough to justify the step from a B to a D in terms of likelihood of getting there. So ultimately I'd consider Hunt a better prospect than Williams (and by a not insignificant amount).

Dalvin Cook I would say is a 7.5(B); just as likely as Hunt to hit his ceiling but a better player than Hunt if they both do. As such, I'd say he's a better prospect. Someone like Kamara would be a 7.5(C); higher ceiling than Hunt but less likely to hit his. I'd consider him just a slightly better prospect for us, though not for all teams. In Spencer Ware, I believe we already have the steady, dependable if unspectacular RB that a 7 suggests. So I'd gamble on the extra upside in Kamara.

You look at someone like West and I think you'd have called him a 5.5(D). He's perfect proof that a D doesn't mean you won't hit that 5.5 (solid complementary player), but that it's unlikely. He actually hit it. So as a prospect, he was a pretty lousy one. But as a player, he's decent.

With Mahomes I think you have a no-shit 9.0(D). That ceiling is immense though the odds of hitting it aren't great. That doesn't mean he can't settle into a nice 8.0 player or even a 7. But that ceiling is massive. Whereas someone like Trubisky would be a 7.5(C). I'd have a hard time giving any QB more than a C ranking, but someone like Luck could get there. The problem is that Luck would've been a 10(B). You can't say anyone's an A bet to hit a HoF skill level. Manning, OTOH, I'd have graded something like a 9.0(A). I thought he was an outstanding bet to hit his ceiling, I just wouldn't have put his ceiling as high as it got.

Robert Davis would've gotten something like an 8.0(F) from me. Really really REALLY long odds but the ability is there for him to be a great one. That said, anyone with an F chance of hitting their ceiling has got to be seen as something of a shit wild-card and 5th round pick at best. I'd have still preferred him over Chesson's 6.5(D), however.

Now I don't know that it helps me convince anyone to agree with where I'm coming from, but I think it does a great job of showing people exactly what I'm trying to say (regardless of whether or not they agree with me). The scale leaves room for people to disagree (for instance, I'd imagine Hunts fans would rank him more in the 8.0(B) range, hence their affinity for him), but it sure does distill where you're coming from nicely.